Husband and wife duo Andy Erickson and Annie Favia are two of Napa Valley’s brightest stars. Andy is a renowned winemaker and Annie, whose viticulture work began with legendary grower David Abreu. Together in 2003, Andy and Annie launched Favia Wines, and today their wines are produced in the original one-room ground floor stone cellar which was constructed in 1886 by the Carbone family, who are among Napa Valley’s first Italian settlers, and was the first winery in the area.
In 2018, Annie introduced a tea project, ERDA TEA, which seems like a natural progression for a talented woman with a green thumb. We recently caught-up with her to hear how the tea business was steeping, and how she, Andy, and their two daughters are doing.
MOWSF: Tell us about ERDA TEA.
Annie: This tea project keeps bringing more and more joy. I named it ERDA, after the first known reference to Mother Earth. I grew up in the garden with my mom, and some of my favorite memories are of digging in the dirt, planting and harvesting all sorts of things. Even today, I am happiest when I’m outside around plants. With tea, all of the sensory excitement we get from tasting wine is there. I love that people are discovering that too!
MOWSF: What would you say is your favorite comfort food?
Annie: Anything and everything from the garden. We cook almost every night, and right now it’s all about spinach, artichokes, fresh lettuces from the garden, spring garlic, onions, and herbs. We usually just see what looks good out there and then make it work. My two daughters (17 and 19) are home with us, and we’ve never had so much fun cooking together and planning our meals. I guess that’s one of the few silver linings of sheltering-in-place.
MOWSF: What is your go-to therapy during SIP?
Annie: I spend a lot of time in the gardens, and hike most days in the mountains just behind us. Also, the vineyards are not on “lock-down,” so we are checking in on vineyard work and the season is progressing well. It is so nice to be out in nature and to see that things just move forward. Also, there are some guilty pleasure TV shows I watch with my girls while I’m knitting.
MOWSF: Is there a recipe you would like to share?
Annie: Green Goddess is a favorite go to recipe in our house. It is fresh and healthy but feels decadent and creamy at the same time. I blend an avocado with a small piece of garlic, olive oil, salt, black pepper, lots of fresh lemon juice, and handfuls of fresh herbs in any combination you like. We usually include parsley, tarragon, arugula, and basil. Yummm! You can use many ways.
MOWSF: What are some of the first things you will do after SIP has ended?
Annie: We miss being with friends, so of course the first thing we will do is get together with friends and cook together. We miss the fried rice at Miminashi, a proper dinner at Torc, the guacamole at La Calenda, so many things. Hopefully sooner rather than later we will be back to that.
MOWSF: Any upcoming special offers? Virtual tasting?
Annie: We’ve just sent out an offer for “Summer Whites,” which has been well received. It’s a trio of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Viognier, and the response has been really great, as the weather is starting to feel like summer. We normally do not have wine available this time of year, unless you visit the winery, so we are certainly pivoting in that way.
We look forward to welcoming guests back soon and are currently selling fun tasting kits that folks can use at home, so people should feel free to reach out to Ella and John at info@faviawines.com
Follow Favia Wines on Social
Instagram
Follow ERDA TEA on Social
Instagram